Method for operating a direction change indicator in a motor vehicle, data processing device, computer program product and motor vehicle

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for operating a direction change indicator (7a, 7b) in a motor vehicle (1), comprising the steps of operating the direction change indicator (7a, 7b) in an active mode in which a change in the direction of travel of the motor vehicle (1) is indicated by the direction change indicator (7a, 7b), monitoring a current steering angle of a steering system (4) of the motor vehicle (1) during the active mode, wherein the current steering angle lies between a zero position and a maximum position of the steering system (4), determining during the monitoring whether the current steering angle has fallen below a limit steering angle when the steering system (4) moves from the direction of the maximum position towards the zero position, and automatically switching the direction change indicator (7a, 7b) from the active mode to an inactive mode in which no change in the direction of travel is indicated by the direction change indicator (7a, 7b), in response thereto,that the determination shows that the steering angle has fallen below the limit steering angle when the steering (4) moves from the direction of the maximum position toward the zero position. The method further comprises the step of selecting the limit steering angle for the determination from a plurality of limit steering angles by means of a control unit (2) of the motor vehicle (1). Also disclosed are a device (2) for data processing, a computer program product (3), and a motor vehicle (1), each relating to the method.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for operating a direction change indicator in a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of operating the direction change indicator in an active mode in which a change in the direction of travel of the motor vehicle is indicated by the direction change indicator, monitoring a current steering angle of a steering system of the motor vehicle during the active mode, wherein the current steering angle lies between a zero position and a maximum position of the steering, determining during the monitoring whether the current steering angle has fallen below a limit steering angle when the steering system moves from the direction of the maximum position towards the zero position, and automatically switching the direction change indicator from the active mode to an inactive mode in which no change in the direction of travel is indicated by the direction change indicator, in response to the determination resultingthat the steering angle has fallen below the limit steering angle when the steering moves from the maximum position towards the zero position.

[0002] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a data processing device comprising a processor configured to execute the aforementioned method. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a computer program product comprising instructions that, when the program is executed by the processor, cause the processor to execute the aforementioned method. Finally, the present invention relates to the motor vehicle comprising the aforementioned data processing device.

[0003] In most motor vehicles, the turn signal indicator, also known as a blinker, automatically switches from an active state to an inactive state after a change of direction, such as a turn. In the active state, it indicates the vehicle's change of direction to other road users by emitting a flashing signal, whereas in the inactive state, it does not emit a flashing signal. This automatic switching to the inactive state usually occurs when an operating lever for the turn signal, which is located near the vehicle's steering wheel, mechanically snaps back from an active state to an inactive state after the turn. Some motor vehicles also have this implemented electrically or electronically.Typically, this automatic switching to inactive mode occurs when the steering angle falls below a specified limit, which could be 45°, for example. This limit is usually factory-set for conventional vehicles.

[0004] WO 2020 / 173543 A1 discloses a computer-implemented method for automatically deactivating the left and right turn signals of a motor vehicle at the end of a turning maneuver. An actual wheel angle is used instead of a steering wheel angle to determine the limit steering angle, which determines at what point in time the left and right turn signals should be deactivated again after the turning maneuver.

[0005] WO 2014 / 203201 A1 provides that a control unit of a motor vehicle controls the direction change indicator based, in particular, on a steering wheel angle and a vehicle speed. The limit steering angle can be calculated based on various parameters.

[0006] The objects of the invention are to provide a method for operating a direction change indicator in a motor vehicle, a device for data processing, a computer program product and a motor vehicle of the type mentioned at the outset, which are improved compared to the prior art.

[0007] The above object is achieved by a method having the features of independent patent claim 1, by a data processing device having the features of independent patent claim 8, by a computer program product having the features of independent patent claim 9 and by a motor vehicle having the features of independent claim 10.

[0008] Further features and details of the invention emerge from the dependent claims, the description, and the drawings. Features and details described in connection with the method according to the invention naturally also apply in connection with the motor vehicle according to the invention, the computer program product according to the invention, and the data processing device according to the invention, and vice versa, so that with regard to the disclosure of the individual aspects of the invention, reference is always made to each other.

[0009] According to the invention, the method includes the step of selecting the limit steering angle for determining from a plurality of limit steering angles using a control unit of the motor vehicle. The method thus has the advantage that the limit steering angle can be adjusted without having to be laboriously calculated in detail. This simplifies the method and thus improves it over the prior art.

[0010] As used here, the zero position of the steering is the position the steering assumes when the motor vehicle is traveling straight ahead. The steering angle is 0° in the zero position. Furthermore, the maximum position of the steering is the position the steering assumes when it is turned to its maximum. The steering angle in the zero position is the greatest possible steering angle of the steering. The greatest possible steering angle can in particular be 180°, but depending on the motor vehicle it can also be greater or less than 180°. A maximum steering angle, as used here, is the greatest steering angle that is reached during operation of the direction indicator in the active mode before the steering moves back to the zero position. In this respect, the maximum steering angle in the active mode can at most reach the maximum position, but it does not have to do so if the steering of the motor vehicle is not turned to the maximum position.

[0011] The steering angle can result from turning the steering wheel from the neutral position clockwise or counterclockwise. The steering angle here refers to the magnitude of the steering angle, so it is irrelevant whether the steering wheel is turned counterclockwise or clockwise, to negative or positive angles. The method can be applied to both counterclockwise and clockwise turns. The steering angle can refer to the steering angle of the steering, in particular of a steering device such as a steering shaft or a steering wheel. The steering angle of the steering determines a wheel angle position to the right or left in order to enable the motor vehicle to corner. The wheel angle position here is the angle by which the steered wheels of the motor vehicle deviate to the right or left from a straight-ahead direction. In the straight-ahead direction, the wheel angle position is 0°.However, the wheel angle position is not necessarily identical to the steering angle, since the motor vehicle may have a steering ratio in certain embodiments. In embodiments in which the motor vehicle does not have a steering shaft or steering wheel, such as in some autonomous motor vehicles that are steered at least partially automatically by the control unit, the steering angle may refer to the wheel angle position.

[0012] It should also be noted that falling below the limit steering angle requires that the limit steering angle has previously been exceeded when the steering has moved from the zero position towards the maximum position to the maximum steering angle in the active mode of the direction change indicator. Otherwise, automatic switching to the inactive mode cannot occur because the method lacks the indication of falling below the limit for the end of the direction change. In other words, the method requires that the maximum steering angle in the current operation in the active mode of the direction change indicator was greater than the limit steering angle so that automatic switching can occur when steering back from the maximum steering angle to the zero position.

[0013] In some embodiments, it is provided that the motor vehicle has a plurality of selectable steering ratios for the steering, and the selection of the limit steering angle is based at least partially on a selected steering ratio from the plurality of steering ratios with which the steering is operating during the active mode. Particularly when the motor vehicle has a selectable steering ratio, it can be advantageous if the limit steering angle is also selectable. If, for example, the steering ratio is selected such that small steering angles lead to large changes in the angle of the tire position of the motor vehicle, relative to a straight-ahead direction of travel of the motor vehicle, the limit steering angle of the steering can be selected to be comparatively small from the plurality of limit steering angles. The motor vehicle can have a memory to which the control unit is communicatively coupled.The plurality of selectable steering ratios can be stored in the memory. The plurality of selectable limit steering angles can also be stored in the memory. The method can thus comprise selecting the limit steering angle for determination by the control unit from the memory, in particular based on the selected steering ratio of the motor vehicle.

[0014] It is preferred that the control unit establishes an association between the limit steering angle and the steering ratio such that the limit steering angle is at least approximately halved upon selection when the steering ratio doubles. This means that the control unit performs the selection in particular such that, for a steering ratio of x:1 in embodiments, a standard limit steering angle is multiplied by a factor of 1:x, wherein for a standard steering ratio of 1:1, the standard limit steering angle can be stored in the memory with the factor of 1:1. The control unit can refer to this standard limit steering angle in order to select the appropriate limit steering angle from the plurality of limit steering angles depending on the current steering ratio in the active mode of the direction change indicator.If the plurality of limit steering angles does not contain a limit steering angle that exactly matches the current steering ratio, the control unit can select a best-fitting limit steering angle, in particular the closest limit steering angle, from the plurality of limit steering angles. For example, if the steering ratio is set to 10:1, but the plurality of limit steering angles only have limit steering angle values ​​of 1:1, 1:2, and 1:8 with respect to the standard limit steering angle, the control unit can preferably select the standard steering angle as an approximate solution, the limit steering angle with a factor of 1:8, in order to replace the exactly matching, but not intended, limit steering angle with a factor of 1:10. In this way, a reduced number of limit steering angles can be provided in the plurality of limit steering angles in order to save memory space without significantly affecting the functioning of the method.

[0015] It is particularly preferred that the control unit selects the limit steering angle with a factor of 1:2 for a steering ratio of 2:1. If the limit steering angle is 45° for a steering ratio of 1:1, the control unit would preferably select a limit steering angle of 22.5° if 2:1 were selected as the steering ratio. If the limit steering angle is 45° for a steering ratio of 1:1, the control unit would also preferably select a limit steering angle of 15° if 3:1 were selected as the steering ratio, and so on. This allows a driver of the motor vehicle to conveniently operate the steering for all steering ratios, in particular without having to change their grip on the steering wheel while steering, while at the same time the automatic switching of the direction change indicator to the inactive mode is adapted to the selected steering ratio.

[0016] Furthermore, some embodiments provide that the selection of the limit steering angle is based at least partially on a current travel speed of the motor vehicle. The expected steering angles vary depending on the travel speed. At low travel speeds, such as when maneuvering or driving in city traffic, the steering angles can be comparatively large, for example, exceeding 60°. These large steering angles are required when parking or turning at an intersection. At high travel speeds, however, such as when driving on country roads or even motorways, the steering angles can be comparatively small, for example, less than 30°. Here, rapid lane changes with small steering angles are essentially expected, for example when overtaking. Therefore, the method can advantageously comprise monitoring the current travel speed by means of the control unit.In particular, the method may comprise selecting a limit steering angle that is less than 45° if the driving speed is determined by the control unit to be greater than a limit speed. The limit speed may in particular be one of 10 km / h, 20 km / h, 30 km / h, 40 km / h, 50 km / h, 60 km / h, 70 km / h, 80 km / h or 90 km / h. In particular, the method may on the other hand comprise selecting a limit steering angle that is greater than or equal to 45° if the driving speed is determined by the control unit to be less than the limit speed. The limit speed may be selectable, in particular by the driver of the motor vehicle. However, it may also be factory-set.

[0017] Some embodiments provide that the selection of the limit steering angle is based at least partially on a current driving mode of the motor vehicle. Driving modes are often indices of an expected driving speed. For example, a motor vehicle can include several driving modes that can be set by the driver, such as an economy mode and a sport mode. The method can then comprise the control unit detecting the selected driving mode and selecting the limit steering angle based on the detected driving mode. In particular, the limit steering angle can be selected to be smaller in the sport mode than in the economy mode. This takes into account that smaller steering angles can possibly be expected in sporty driving than in economical driving, since sporty driving is often associated with a higher driving speed and smaller steering angles are common in this case, as described above.

[0018] In some embodiments, the motor vehicle includes a self-learning algorithm, and the selection of the limit steering angle is based at least in part on the self-learning algorithm evaluating one or more previous operating cycles of the turn signal in the active mode. For example, the algorithm may detect that in a number of previous operating cycles in the active mode, the monitored current steering angle was never greater than the maximum steering angle. The control unit may then select the limit steering angle less than the maximum steering angle. In embodiments, the limit steering angle may be selected to be an angle delta less than the maximum steering angle, such as an angle delta of 5° or even 10° between the limit steering angle and the maximum steering angle. The number of previous operating cycles in the active mode may, in particular, be one of one, two, three, five, 10, or 20 operating cycles.The operating cycle can be defined between a switch to active mode and the next switch to inactive mode. Both a manual switch, i.e., one initiated by the motor vehicle driver, and an automatic switch to inactive mode can be considered the end of an operating cycle, and a switch to active mode can be considered the beginning of the operating cycle. The self-learning algorithm can be embodied in the control unit by a learner, whose function can be provided by a processor interacting with the memory.

[0019] Some embodiments provide that the motor vehicle has an input device and the selection of the limit steering angle is based at least in part on receiving inputs at the input device that specify a desired limit steering angle from the plurality of limit steering angles to the control unit. The input device can be embodied as a control panel of an on-board computer. The control panel can include buttons, touchscreens, knobs, rotary knobs, and the like. An output device, such as a screen or the like, can provide a menu in the motor vehicle for selecting the limit steering angle from the plurality of limit steering angles. The menu can display the plurality of limit steering angles stored in the memory. Thus, selecting the limit steering angle can include selecting the limit steering angle by an occupant of the motor vehicle, in particular from the plurality of limit steering angles.However, in some embodiments, the selection can also be made continuously by the occupant, in particular the driver, for example by means of a rotary knob on the input device. In some embodiments, the above-discussed speed limit and / or steering ratio can also be selected via the input device. In particular, an automatic selection of the speed limit and / or steering angle limit made by the control unit can be manually overridden by the occupant of the motor vehicle via the input device. This allows the occupant, in particular the driver, to make these selections according to personal preference. In other embodiments, manual selection or override may only be possible to a limited extent in order to comply with legal requirements. This prevents the driver from making selections that may not be legally compliant.

[0020] Embodiments further provide that each limit steering angle from the plurality of limit steering angles is greater than 1° and less than 50°. Preferably, each limit steering angle from the plurality of limit steering angles is less than 50°. A limit steering angle from the plurality of limit steering angles can therefore also be 0°. Embodiments provide steps of 0.5°, preferably 1°, between each of the plurality of limit steering angles. This means that only a small amount of memory is required to provide the plurality of limit steering angles for selection. However, it can also be provided that there is a distance of 5° between each of the plurality of limit steering angles. This allows the required memory space to be reduced even further. Some embodiments provide that the plurality of limit steering angles is formed from integer limit steering angles. Some embodiments provide that the plurality of limit steering angles is formed from limit steering angles that are divisible by 0.5 without a remainder.The plurality of limit steering angles can, in particular, consist of two, three, four, five, more than five, more than 10, more than 20, more than 30, more than 40, or more than 50 limit steering angles. A large number of limit steering angles enables particularly well-graded adjustment of the operation of the direction change indicator. However, the plurality of limit steering angles can, in particular, consist of fewer than 100, fewer than 80, fewer than 60, fewer than 40, fewer than 30, fewer than 20, or fewer than 10 limit steering angles. This also saves memory space and reduces the complexity of the process for the occupant because they only have to choose between a relatively small number of limit steering angles when selecting.

[0021] In some embodiments, the motor vehicle is at least one of a steer-by-wire motor vehicle and an at least partially autonomous motor vehicle. Steer-by-wire motor vehicles implement the steering to the tires electronically. In other words, steering is performed "by an electric wire" on actuators, which then adjust the wheel angle. Electronic steering can be performed by the control unit or the occupants of the motor vehicle. Autonomously driving motor vehicles can be semi-autonomous or fully autonomous. Autonomously driving motor vehicles in particular typically include algorithms that can be supplemented by the self-learning algorithm described above. Steer-by-wire motor vehicles often have adjustable steering ratios, so it can be advantageous to supplement the adjustable steering ratio with a selectable steering limit angle for the direction indicator.Depending on the set steering ratio, the limit steering angle can preferably be selected appropriately, either automatically by the control unit or manually by the occupant.

[0022] In some embodiments, the selection includes ignoring a selected limit steering angle by the control unit if the motor vehicle is in an at least partially autonomous driving mode during operation of the direction change indicator. If the motor vehicle is driving at least partially autonomously, i.e., under monitoring by the control unit, the control unit knows when the automatic switching of the direction change indicator to the inactive mode can occur because it itself controls the change of direction. Therefore, it is not necessary to set a limit steering angle; instead, in embodiments, the control unit automatically switches to the inactive mode as soon as it classifies the change of direction as complete.This can be the case, for example, if, in the active mode of the direction change indicator, the current steering angle is only half the maximum steering angle in the current active mode. Alternatively, the control unit can select the limit steering angle as 0° if the vehicle is driving in at least partially autonomous driving mode. The control unit then automatically switches to the inactive mode as soon as the steering has returned to the neutral position.

[0023] The method may include the control unit reading a motor vehicle bus of the motor vehicle in order to monitor the steering angle. The driving speed and / or the driving mode can also preferably be read out by the control unit via the motor vehicle bus. The control unit can be communicatively coupled to the memory and the steering system via one or more motor vehicle buses. The control unit preferably reads out all the parameters required to carry out the method, such as the current steering angle, steering ratio, and / or driving speed, from one or more motor vehicle buses of the motor vehicle, in particular from the same motor vehicle bus. The motor vehicle bus of the motor vehicle can be a CAN bus.

[0024] Furthermore, the object of providing a device for data processing which is improved over the prior art is achieved by the device according to claim 8, as described below.

[0025] According to the invention, the data processing device comprises a processor configured to carry out the method described above. As a result, it is configured to achieve the advantages of the method. The data processing device can be embodied as a control unit of the motor vehicle. The control unit can be configured to control the direction change indicator. The control unit can be configured to monitor the current steering angle of a steering system of the motor vehicle. In particular, it can be configured to determine whether the current steering angle has fallen below a limit steering angle. It can also be configured to automatically switch the direction change indicator to inactive mode. In general, the control unit can be configured to carry out all or at least some of the method features mentioned above. The control unit can have the memory.A program containing commands to the control unit can be stored in the memory, allowing the control unit to execute the method. The memory can contain a plurality of limit steering angles from which the limit steering angle can be selected by the control unit. The memory can also contain a plurality of steering ratios. Furthermore, the memory can contain the self-learning algorithm. The memory can also contain the limit speed.

[0026] Furthermore, the object of providing a computer program product which is improved over the prior art is achieved by the computer program product according to claim 9, which comprises instructions which, when the program is executed by a processor, cause the processor to carry out the method described above, as described below.

[0027] The computer program product may be an electronic or optical data storage device, such as a memory chip, a magnetic memory, or an optical memory. The motor vehicle may include the computer program product. Instructions stored on the computer program product may cause the processor to operate the turn signal indicator in such a way as to achieve the advantages explained in connection with the method. The computer program product may be part of the control unit of the motor vehicle. The memory may be embodied by the computer program product.

[0028] Furthermore, the object of the invention to provide a motor vehicle of the type mentioned at the outset which is improved over the prior art is achieved by the motor vehicle according to claim 10, as described below.

[0029] According to the invention, the motor vehicle has the above-mentioned device for data processing. As a result, it is configured to carry out the method described above and to achieve its advantages for the motor vehicle. A preferred motor vehicle is a motor vehicle with tires. It can be a motor vehicle with an internal combustion engine or an electric motor as the propulsion motor for driving. In principle, the invention can be particularly relevant for all motor vehicles in which direction change indicators are used. However, it is particularly relevant for motor vehicles that are steer-by-wire motor vehicles or even autonomously driving motor vehicles. These types of motor vehicles often have steering systems in which comparatively small changes in the steering angle lead to comparatively large changes in the wheel angle position.A selectable steering limit angle is particularly advantageous when the motor vehicle includes a selectable steering ratio. The motor vehicle can then advantageously be configured so that the steering limit angle can be selected depending on the selected steering ratio.

[0030] Embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the drawings and the following description. They show schematically: Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of the motor vehicle according to the invention, which comprises a data processing device and a computer program product according to the invention; Fig. 2 shows a first embodiment of a method according to the invention; Fig. 3 a second embodiment of the method according to the invention; and Fig. 4 a third embodiment of the method according to the invention.

[0031] Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of the motor vehicle 1 according to the invention. The motor vehicle 1 has a device 2 for data processing. The device 2 for data processing is a control unit 2 of the motor vehicle 1. The control unit 2 comprises a processor (not shown) which is configured to carry out the two embodiments of the method according to the invention, which are described with reference to Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 are illustrated below. To enable this, the control unit 2 has a computer program product 3. The computer program product 3 is here purely by way of example a non-volatile memory chip 3, which is arranged in the control unit 2 and is electrically connected to the processor in order to enable data transfer between the non-volatile memory chip 3 and the processor. The non-volatile memory chip 3 comprises instructions which, when the program is executed by the processor, cause the processor to execute the embodiments of the method which are illustrated by the Fig. 2, Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 are illustrated below. The motor vehicle 1 is a partially autonomously driving motor vehicle 1. This means that an occupant of the motor vehicle 1 can decide whether the motor vehicle 1 should drive, among other things, in a fully autonomous driving mode, in which the motor vehicle 1 covers a route without intervention by the occupant, or in a manual driving mode, in which the motor vehicle 1 is to be steered by the occupant.

[0032] With reference to Fig. 1, the motor vehicle 1 further comprises a steering system 4. The steering system 4 is a so-called steer-by-wire steering system, so that the control unit 2 is configured to control the steering system 4 by means of electronic signals to actuators (not shown), which in turn adjust the front wheels 5 of the motor vehicle 1 to a wheel angle such that the motor vehicle 1 follows the intended route of the motor vehicle 1. The steering system 4 has a selectable steering ratio that can be selected from a plurality of steering ratios. Here, for example, the control unit 2 is configured to enable it to select a steering ratio from the plurality of steering ratios for the steering system 4. The selectable steering ratios can be selected, for example, by the occupant or automatically by the control unit 2. Furthermore, the memory chip 3 stores a plurality of limit steering angles that can be selected by means of the control unit 2, as explained below.In addition, the motor vehicle 1 comprises an input device 6. The input device 6 is, for example, a touchscreen display. The control unit 2 is configured to receive inputs via the touchscreen display. The inputs can, in particular, relate to the steering ratio or the limit steering angle. In addition, the motor vehicle 1 comprises a front direction change indicator 7a and a rear direction change indicator 7b, which are also called turn signals. Since the motor vehicle 1 is shown here in a lateral section, it should be noted that the front direction change indicator 7a and the rear direction change indicator 7b are present on both the left and right sides of the motor vehicle 1, relative to a direction of travel, as is generally customary for the motor vehicle 1.

[0033] By means of the aforementioned devices, the motor vehicle 1 is configured to carry out a method for operating a direction change indicator 7a, 7b in the motor vehicle 1, wherein the method comprises the step of selecting the limit steering angle from a plurality of limit steering angles by means of the control unit 2 of the motor vehicle 1. The method has the advantage that the limit steering angle can be adjusted without having to be laboriously calculated in detail. This simplifies the method and thus improves it compared to the prior art. In detail, the motor vehicle 1 is configured to carry out the following three embodiments of the method.

[0034] A first embodiment of the method is described in Fig. 2. According to Fig. 2, the first embodiment of the method comprises step S21, operating the direction change indicator 7a, 7b in an active mode, in which a change in direction of travel of the motor vehicle 1 is indicated by the direction change indicator 7a, 7b. During operation in the active mode, in step S22, a limit steering angle is selected from the plurality of limit steering angles by means of the control unit 2 of the motor vehicle 1. In a step S23, a current steering angle of a steering system 4 of the motor vehicle 1 is then monitored during the active mode, wherein the current steering angle lies between a zero position and a maximum position of the steering system 4. Subsequently, in a step S24, it is determined during the monitoring whether the current steering angle 4 has fallen below the limit steering angle when the steering system 4 moves from the direction of the maximum position towards the zero position.Finally, in step S25, the direction change indicator 7a, 7b is automatically switched from the active mode to an inactive mode in which no change of direction is indicated by the direction change indicator 7a, 7b, in response to the determination that the steering angle has fallen below the limit steering angle when the steering 4 moves from the direction of the maximum position towards the zero position.

[0035] In the first embodiment, the selection of the limit steering angle is based on a selected steering ratio from the plurality of steering ratios. In the first embodiment of the method, the control unit 2 is generally configured to halve the limit steering angle when the steering ratio doubles. By way of example, the selected steering ratio here is 2:1, and the control unit 2 appropriately selects the limit steering angle at 22.5°, with a standard limit steering angle for the 1:1 steering ratio being 45°. Thus, the control unit 2 takes into account that the maximum steering angle of the steering system 4 would likely only very rarely exceed 45° with a steering ratio of 2:1, so that automatic switching to the inactive mode would almost never be possible.

[0036] In the first embodiment shown, the selection takes place while the direction change indicator 7a, 7b is operating in the active mode. The advantage of selecting while the direction change indicator 7a, 7b is operating in the active mode is that the limit steering angle is selected in a timely manner to the point at which it is required during the determination. However, this is not the case in all embodiments. In particular, the selection can also take place before the direction change indicator 7a, 7b is operated in the active mode, for example, at certain time intervals during a journey of the motor vehicle 1 or continuously in preparation for the next operation of the direction change indicator 7a, 7b in the active mode. A corresponding second embodiment of the method, in which the selection takes place while the direction change indicator 7a, 7b is operating in the active mode, is described in Fig. 3 illustrates.

[0037] According to Fig. 3, the second embodiment of the method comprises step S31, selecting a limit steering angle from the plurality of limit steering angles by means of the control unit 2 of the motor vehicle 1. Only then, in step S32, does the direction change indicator 7a, 7b operate in an active mode, in which a change in direction of travel of the motor vehicle 1 is indicated by the direction change indicator 7a, 7b. Subsequently, in a step S33, a current steering angle of a steering system 4 of the motor vehicle 1 is monitored during the active mode, wherein the current steering angle lies between a zero position and a maximum position of the steering system 4. Subsequently, in a step S34, it is determined during the monitoring whether the current steering angle has fallen below the limit steering angle when the steering system 4 moves from the direction of the maximum position toward the zero position.Finally, in step S35, the direction change indicator 7a, 7b is automatically switched from the active mode to an inactive mode in which no change of direction is indicated by the direction change indicator 7a, 7b, in response to the determination that the steering angle has fallen below the limit steering angle when the steering 4 moves from the direction of the maximum position towards the zero position.

[0038] In the second embodiment, the selection of the limit steering angle occurs, for example, before operating the direction change indicator 7a, 7b in the active mode. The selection of the limit steering angle is based here, for example, on receiving inputs at the input device 6, which specify a desired limit steering angle from the plurality of limit steering angles to the control unit 2. More specifically, an occupant, in particular a driver of the motor vehicle 1, can select a desired limit steering angle from the plurality of limit steering angles via the touchscreen, for example, at the beginning of a journey and depending on their personal preferences. They can, for example, specify a limit steering angle of 15° because they are planning a fast motorway journey with lane changes during which they do not expect a maximum steering angle of significantly more than 15° to be exceeded.This allows the system to automatically switch to inactive mode as soon as a lane change occurs in active mode, without the driver having to actively intervene in the process while driving. This prevents the driver from having to change their grip on the steering wheel, thus improving driving safety.

[0039] A third embodiment of the method is described in Fig. 4. For the third embodiment, the motor vehicle 1 comprises Fig. 1 has a self-learning algorithm. The self-learning algorithm is also stored in the memory chip 3 and is operable by the control unit 2. According to Fig.4, the third embodiment of the method includes step S41, operating the direction change indicator 7a, 7b in an active mode, in which a change in direction of travel of the motor vehicle 1 is indicated by the direction change indicator 7a, 7b. During operation in the active mode, in step S42, a limit steering angle is selected from the plurality of limit steering angles by means of the control unit 2 of the motor vehicle 1 based on a current travel speed of the motor vehicle 1 and on evaluation of one or more previous operating cycles of the direction change indicator 7a, 7b in the active mode by the self-learning algorithm. In a step S43, a current steering angle of a steering system 4 of the motor vehicle 1 is then monitored during the active mode, wherein the current steering angle lies between a zero position and a maximum position of the steering system 4.Subsequently, in a step S44, a determination is made during monitoring as to whether the current steering angle has fallen below a limit steering angle when the steering system 4 moves from the direction of the maximum position toward the zero position. Finally, in step S45, the direction change indicator 7a, 7b is automatically switched from the active mode to an inactive mode, in which no change of direction is indicated by the direction change indicator 7a, 7b, in response to the determination that the steering angle has fallen below the limit steering angle when the steering system 4 moves from the direction of the maximum position toward the zero position.

[0040] In contrast to the first embodiment of the method, in the third embodiment, the selection is based both on the current travel speed of the motor vehicle 1 and on the evaluation of one or more previous operating cycles of the direction change indicator 7a, 7b in the active mode by the self-learning algorithm. In the third embodiment of the method, the control unit 2 continuously monitors the travel speed of the motor vehicle 1 during the active mode and, depending on the travel speed, selects a suitable limit steering angle from the plurality of limit steering angles.In the third embodiment, purely by way of example, four limit steering angles are provided in the plurality of limit steering angles stored in the memory 3: a first limit steering angle of 45° at a driving speed of 40 km / h and less, a second limit steering angle of 40° at a driving speed of 40 km / h to 60 km / h, a third limit steering angle of 35° at a driving speed of 60 km / h to 80 km / h, and a fourth limit steering angle of 30° at a driving speed of over 80 km / h. The control unit 2 is configured to select the limit steering angle from the plurality of limit steering angles according to the current driving speed as soon as the direction change indicator 7a, 7b is operated in the active mode, for example, when the driver actuates the direction change indicator 7a, 7b to signal a change of direction of the motor vehicle 1 by flashing to the left or right.In the third embodiment of the method, the algorithm monitors, for example, the maximum steering angle in five consecutive operations in the active mode. If the maximum steering angle never exceeds 45°, the control unit 2 selects the second limit steering angle from the plurality of limit steering angles, regardless of the driving speed. If the maximum steering angle never exceeds 40°, the control unit 2 selects the third limit steering angle from the plurality of limit steering angles, regardless of the driving speed. And if the maximum steering angle never exceeds 35°, the control unit 2 selects the fourth limit steering angle from the plurality of limit steering angles, regardless of the driving speed.This can prevent the limit steering angle from being adapted to the driving speed but not to a current driving situation in which, for example, only small maximum steering angles are required despite a relatively low speed.

[0041] The invention thus enables the limit steering angle to be configured variably, as illustrated by the figures. It can be linked to the steering ratio and, for example, with a ratio that is twice as direct, can be half as large in order to retain its functionality. Other dependencies between the steering ratio and the limit steering angle are also conceivable. In addition, a variant can be a freely selectable setting of the steering wheel angle by the occupant, or coupling to driving modes or complete deactivation, for example, during fully autonomous driving, where the turn signal is completely controlled by the motor vehicle 1. In all embodiments shown, each limit steering angle from the multitude of limit steering angles is greater than 1° and less than 50°.The implementation of the variable steering angle limit for a turn signal module of the direction change indicator 7a, 7b can be done via software; all required signals are preferably available on the CAN bus (not shown) of the motor vehicle 1. This enables automatic adjustment of the steering angle limit for turn signals, particularly in steer-by-wire motor vehicles 1. List of reference symbols 1 motor vehicle 2 Data processing device / control unit 3 Computer program product / memory 4 Steering 5 front wheel 6 Input device 7a front direction change indicator 7b rear direction change indicator S21-S25 Process steps S31-S35 Process steps S41-S45 Process steps QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] WO 2020 / 173543 A1

[0004] WO 2014 / 203201 A1

[0005]

Claims

[1] Method for operating a direction change indicator (7a, 7b) in a motor vehicle (1), comprising the following steps: - operating the direction change indicator (7a, 7b) in an active mode in which a change in the direction of travel of the motor vehicle (1) is indicated by the direction change indicator (7a, 7b); - monitoring a current steering angle of a steering system (4) of the motor vehicle (1) during the active mode, the current steering angle being between a zero position and a maximum position of the steering system (4); - determining during monitoring whether the current steering angle has fallen below a limit steering angle when the steering (4) moves from the direction of the maximum position towards the zero position; and - automatically switching the direction change indicator (7a, 7b) from the active mode to an inactive mode in which no change of direction is indicated by the direction change indicator (7a, 7b), in response to the determination that the steering angle has fallen below the limit steering angle when the steering (4) moves from the direction of the maximum position towards the zero position, characterized by that the procedure includes the following step: - Selecting the limit steering angle for determining from a plurality of limit steering angles by means of a control unit (2) of the motor vehicle (1). [2] Method according to claim 1, characterized bythat the motor vehicle (1) has a plurality of selectable steering ratios for the steering (4) and the selection of the limit steering angle is based at least in part on a selected steering ratio from the plurality of steering ratios with which the steering (4) is in operation during the active mode. [3] Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the selection of the limit steering angle is based at least partly on a current travel speed of the motor vehicle (1). [4] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the motor vehicle (1) has a self-learning algorithm and the selection of the limit steering angle is based at least partially on evaluation of one or more previous operating cycles of the direction change indicator (7a, 7b) in the active mode by the self-learning algorithm. [5] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the motor vehicle (1) has an input device (6) and the selection of the limit steering angle is based at least in part on receiving inputs at the input device (6) which specify to the control unit (2) a desired limit steering angle from the plurality of limit steering angles. [6] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that each limit steering angle from the plurality of limit steering angles is greater than 1° and less than 50°. [7] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the motor vehicle (1) is at least one of a steer-by-wire motor vehicle (1) and an at least partially autonomously driving motor vehicle (1). [8] Device (2) for data processing, comprising a processor configured to carry out the method according to one of the preceding claims. [9] Computer program product (3) comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to carry out the method according to one of claims 1 to 7. [10] Motor vehicle (1) comprising a data processing device (2) according to claim 8.

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